Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Main St., Gullane.
&
01620/843-214.
www.la-potiniere.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price
lunch £22.50; fixed-price dinner £40. MC, V. Wed-Sun 12:30-1:30pm and 7-8:30pm.
The Open Arms
Just across the road from Dirleton Castle, this traditional stone-
built hotel has some rooms that overlook the castle's romantic ruins, while others offer
vistas of the town. It specializes in golfing packages, so links masters often stay here.
Main St.
&
01620/850-241.
www.openarmshotel.com. 12 units. £146-£164 double with breakfast. AE,
MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; lounge.
12
THE BORDERS
The romantic ruins of Gothic abbeys in the
Borders
region stand as mute reminders
of the battles that once raged between England and Scotland, as well as between
Protestants and Catholics. For a long time, the “Border Country” was a no-man's
land of plunder and destruction, lying south of the Moorfoot, Pentland, and Lam-
mermuir hill ranges.
The Borders is also the land of Sir Walter Scott, master of romantic adventure,
who topped the bestseller lists in the 19th century. Because of its abundant sheep-
grazing land, the Borders is home of the cashmere sweater and the tweed suit. And
plans to re-establish a railway line between Edinburgh and the Borders are moving
forward, however slowly.
Melrose
Rich in history, the town of Melrose , about 60km (37 miles) southeast of Edin-
burgh, is one of the highlights of the region. It has one of the most beautiful ruined
abbeys in the country, as well as nearby Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott, which
is about 3km (2 miles) west. Melrose is on the Southern Upland Way, a trail that
snakes across lower Scotland from Portpatrick in the southwest to the North Sea.
You can take a hike along the section that runs near Melrose—a delightful and sce-
nic trek. Among sports fans in the U.K., the town is most famous for its annual
“Rugby Sevens” tournament, which began in 1883.
Visitors may prefer to take the bus to Melrose from Edinburgh. Travel time is at
least 90 minutes, departing twice an hour or so. Call
&
0870/608-2608
for infor-
mation. If you're driving from Edinburgh, you can reach the town by going southeast
along the A68 or the more winding A7, which runs past the town.
The tourist office is at Abbey House, Abbey Street (
&
01896/822-555
). It's
open Monday through Saturday from April to October.
Abbotsford
Sir Walter Scott's home from 1817 until death, this is the man-
sion that he built and like his novels it quotes from history, too. Designed in the
Scots baronial style, it has an entrance that mimics the porch at Linlithgow palace
and a door from Edinburgh's tolbooth. Scott was a very keen souvenir hunter, scour-
ing the land for artifacts associated with the historical characters he rendered into
fiction. Hence, Abbotsford contains many relics and mementos—whether Rob Roy's
sporran or a sword given to the Duke of Montrose by Charles I. Especially popular
is Scott's small study, with writing desk and chair, where he penned some of his most
famous works. There are also extensive gardens and grounds to visit, plus the private
chapel, added after Scott's death.
